[helomech]

Well, I hate to start off with a problem without a proper introduction, but here goes: I recently purchased a 2012 328i, RWD, 6MT, Sport Package, only known mods are H&R springs and a Sport Brake Retrofit kit (installed by PO). I am the 3rd owner, at purchase the car had 67k, currently its at 73k. The PO kept good maintenance records, everything indicated the car was well cared for. TC work was done under warranty in 2019 by a BMW dealer at 55k.
Today, I was on the highway, 80 mph, and the Oil Pressure Low warning came on. No limp mode, no strange noises from the engine (after pulling into a parking lot and opening the hood for a listen). I typically run the oil level check while I'm filling up, and the level is always at MAX, also, I'm just 2k from my last oil change, with no consumption history and no leaks, so I'm confident the level is fine (I didn't really want to run the car at all with the warning just to check the oil level). I left it in the parking lot and went to work. After work, I figured I would start it up to see if the warning was still present, and if it was, I'd have it towed, if not, I'd drive the couple of miles home. Well, no warning, so I drove home easy, and it didn't come back.
From searching this and other forums, it seems like most of the oil pressure issues are related to the TC issue with these cars, but I have yet to find anyone that has had issues after the repair.
I haven't had much time to dig into it yet, so far I've pulled the oil filter out and checked for debris in there, cut up the filter from the previous oil change to check it as well, nothing there to speak of. I have jacked the car up and removed the underpinnings to check for leaks, nothing there.
My first thought was that it could be an indication issue, so I'm going to look into that-check the wiring, see if I can find a check for the pressure sensor. My next idea was, since I got the warning, and after shutting down, it went away, that possibly debris had gotten sucked up against the oil pickup screen, and when the engine was shut down, it dropped away for the time being. Which means I'll have to drop the oil pan. Which may mean I have to lower the subframe. I have a Bentley manual on the way, currently I am not set up for newtis.
Sorry for the long post, but that's my plan. If I'm headed in the wrong direction, or if you guys have any other ideas, I'm open to any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[Info@mad-us.com]

Could be a bad oil pressure sensor. Low oil pressure is not something you want to play around with I would take it to a indy shop that has ista or autologic and have them check the read out from the sensor and possibly do a mechanical oil pressure test.

[Wgosma]

A fault code reader is good tool to have. There is a pretty good phone app called BimmerLink, one time purchase and you need wireless dongle to plug into OBD port to communicate with the phone app. About $75 gets you going with this.

Good luck-Bill

[helomech]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, low oil pressure is no joke-I won't be driving the car until I get this sorted. I am trying to avoid taking it to a shop, although, if I come up with nothing, I realize I may have to. The more I can figure out on my own, the less I will have to pay them for if it does get to that point.
I didn't think to scan it when I got home-probably should have done that right off the bat. I do have a Lemur BlueDriver dongle with the phone app that I use for my other vehicles (haven't used it on the BMW yet). I'll give it a try after work today. If it ends up not compatible with the car, I will definitely check out the BimmerLink route.

[bryanbrian]

Twice I've had the low oil pressure alarm. First time was due to mechanic not installing the oil filter O rings properly. Second time was the dreaded TC guide broken parts jamming up the oil pump. Good luck with yours, hope it is minor issue.

[helomech]

Thanks man, I'm sure hoping its minor too. I scanned the car today with the BlueDriver, and got the following codes:
138A11-Exhaust Flap, plausibility: adjust time implausible
1C0102-Engine Oil Pressure Control, plausibility, static: pressure too low
1C2002-Engine Oil Pump: oil pressure too low

The exhaust flap I'm not worried about-somewhere along the line the shaft between the motor and the valve at the tailpipe had been removed, and the valve wired open, so that's where that one comes from.
The other two I haven't looked up yet to see what more there is to them than just "low oil pressure". I checked the wiring from the oil temp/pressure sensor to the DME with a DMM and it checked good. The connectors are clean as well, nothing jumped out as an issue. Removed the sensor just for a visual inspection if nothing else. Nothing wrong that I could see, even if there was, I doubt I'd be able to tell-looks just like the pics on FCPEuro.
I think I'll look into the oil control valve & associated wiring next, and if that doesn't turn up anything, probably going to drop the oil pan and see if that yields any results.

[Info@mad-us.com]

Originally Posted by helomech

Thanks man, I'm sure hoping its minor too. I scanned the car today with the BlueDriver, and got the following codes:
138A11-Exhaust Flap, plausibility: adjust time implausible
1C0102-Engine Oil Pressure Control, plausibility, static: pressure too low
1C2002-Engine Oil Pump: oil pressure too low

The exhaust flap I'm not worried about-somewhere along the line the shaft between the motor and the valve at the tailpipe had been removed, and the valve wired open, so that's where that one comes from.
The other two I haven't looked up yet to see what more there is to them than just "low oil pressure". I checked the wiring from the oil temp/pressure sensor to the DME with a DMM and it checked good. The connectors are clean as well, nothing jumped out as an issue. Removed the sensor just for a visual inspection if nothing else. Nothing wrong that I could see, even if there was, I doubt I'd be able to tell-looks just like the pics on FCPEuro.
I think I'll look into the oil control valve & associated wiring next, and if that doesn't turn up anything, probably going to drop the oil pan and see if that yields any results.

Could be an issue with the oil pump itself. Odd though never seen that issue so early but anything can happen.

[helomech]

I dropped the subframe and the oil pan today, and good grief, I don't know how this engine was getting any oil at all. The oil pump pickup screen was plugged with remnants of what appears to be some sort of label, as well as small bits of timing chain guide. Inside the pan itself, I found a large piece of guide, I'm thinking that's what got sucked against the screen and dropped the pressure low enough to trigger the warning.
From what I can see underneath, the guides look to be complete with no pieces missing. View is limited, though, and I can't really see much of the chain run. Probably going to pull the valve cover to verify everything is intact. I'm hoping that, since the TC work was done less than 20k ago, that this is just debris that the shop failed to clean up when they did the job. I can't imagine things would start to fail so soon, but I guess I can't rule it out.
Did my best with pics.

[pshovest]

Links aren't working for me.

[helomech]

Apologies for the bad links. Should be fixed now.

[Billfitz]

It takes a while for a new guide to get completely stained by oil, so check the color of the bits against the new guide. If they're darker they're probably remnants of the old guide. The paper is just plain weird.

[Eschmacher]

I'll bet the guide was replaced, the new one had a sticker on it, and they forgot to remove it...

[helomech]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

It takes a while for a new guide to get completely stained by oil, so check the color of the bits against the new guide. If they're darker they're probably remnants of the old guide. The paper is just plain weird.

Good idea. I compared the piece to the installed parts, and it's tough to tell a difference in color. Seems like it could be darker than what's on the car, but I can't say for sure. Could just be me wanting to be optimistic. If it was an obvious difference, I'd probably put the pan back up with a new seal and run it.

[helomech]

Originally Posted by Eschmacher

I'll bet the guide was replaced, the new one had a sticker on it, and they forgot to remove it...

Interesting you should say that-I made the same comment to a friend of mine. I looked up a pic of a new timing chain guide, and it has a label on it that matches the decipherable markings on the label pieces I found in the oil sump pickup. I think you're right, when they did the TC job, they never took the stickers off.

[Billfitz]

So what's the name of that shop? Howard, Fine and Howard?

[helomech]

Yep.

[floridaorange]

Wow! My first thought is how long had you been driving with it like that (debris and sticker blockage) and was the code merely cleared by previous owner or dealer? Congrats on dropping subframe on your own - that's a beast!

[Eschmacher]

Originally Posted by helomech

Interesting you should say that-I made the same comment to a friend of mine. I looked up a pic of a new timing chain guide, and it has a label on it that matches the decipherable markings on the label pieces I found in the oil sump pickup. I think you're right, when they did the TC job, they never took the stickers off.

Incredible... If the TC service was done by the dealer, and you know which one, they definitely should be on the hook if anything catastrophic happens from the lack of oil pressure.

[Wgosma]

Originally Posted by Eschmacher

Incredible... If the TC service was done by the dealer, and you know which one, they definitely should be on the hook if anything catastrophic happens from the lack of oil pressure.

This is really an odd yet interesting situation, best of luck to OP on getting this resolved.

[helomech]

I have put around 6k on the car since I bought it. It was a private owner sale, I have my suspicions as to what the guy knew. Looking at all that junk in the pickup screen, I can’t imagine that warning had not popped up before, but who knows.
Things could have been much worse. I drove the car home from CO to WI, and there were some long stretches of empty highway where a low oil pressure warning would have really ruined my day. I’m thankful it happened so close to home and during the summer, instead of in the middle of one of our delightful WI winters. Thanks for the congrats, I’ve been enjoying working on the car.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by helomech

Interesting you should say that-I made the same comment to a friend of mine. I looked up a pic of a new timing chain guide, and it has a label on it that matches the decipherable markings on the label pieces I found in the oil sump pickup. I think you're right, when they did the TC job, they never took the stickers off.

That was also my initial conclusion, as I was reading down the topic, before getting to the label source suggestion...

I do hope you have caught it early enough, to save more work.

[helomech]

Originally Posted by Eschmacher

Incredible... If the TC service was done by the dealer, and you know which one, they definitely should be on the hook if anything catastrophic happens from the lack of oil pressure.

I was wondering about this. I have the service report from the TC job (the car came with a binder full of records), so I know where it was done. It was a BMW dealer. What I don’t know is how much liability they would be on the hook for since the car has changed ownership since the work was completed.
Also, the job was done 2 years ago, and I don’t know how long their warranty covers work performed. Although, I would think warranty limits would only apply to work performed PROPERLY. Defective maintenance is a whole different story.